MIAMI (CBSMiami) – In an effort to catch a suspected predator who tried to abduct a 13-year old boy in southwest Miami-Dade, police spent Tuesday handing out flyers with a sketch of the man in hopes that someone may have seen him or knows who he is.

“We want to make sure that all the children are safe during the holidays while they’re playing outside or coming home from school,” said Jennifer Capote with Miami-Dade Police.

Detectives handed out flyers in the area of SW 156th Avenue an 39th Street where the teen says the man approached him Friday afternoon around 3 p.m.

The teen said he was in the garage when a strange man came up and asked him to step outside. When the teen refused, he said the man grabbed his wrist.

“I yanked away and I immediately went for a bat and I charged at him and he went running away,” said the teen.

As detectives handed out flyers and spoke with people in the neighborhood on Tuesday, residents noted the man in the sketch looks like someone they’ve seen in the area.

“Every time I walk or I go out of the neighborhood, right through Bird Road, I always see him walking down the street,” said resident Arturo Pedroza.

“I just saw a person who he looks like homeless. It takes my attention. It was on 157th Avenue and Coral Way,” said resident Karina Flores.

The young man realized his actions may have saved him from harm and he has this advice for anyone in a similar situation.

“He had a full beard with black and white hair, grey sideburns. He was missing a front tooth, wearing a black hoodie with black holes in it with basketball shorts,” said the boy. He added that the man walked with a limp and was wearing a small gold hoop earring.